Mentorship and Mutual Support for Graduate Students in STEM

Description

This project will explore the landscape and lay the foundation for a future curricular intervention. It will aim to augment the mentorship that Black, Indigenous, or Persons of Colour (BIPOC) and women-identifying graduate students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines at York currently receive with cross-campus connection, reflection and support.

The starting place for this initiative is the recognition that women, particularly BIPOC, are under-represented in STEM disciplines. The difficulties students from these groups encounter within a STEM pathway are widely described in academic literature. In the coming year, we will seek quantitative and qualitative evidence about the admission and retention of BIPOC/women scholars in STEM at York; build a network of faculty and staff at York, engaged with this student population, along with equity, diversity and inclusion; seek an ideal model of sustainable support for these scholars (course, mentorship circle, certificate or alternative model); and prepare for 2022-2023 model delivery.